Thomas and the Billboard
by Skrillexia
Summary: It's Knapford station's birthday and the engines are going to have their photographs taken to be put on a billboard, however Diesel accidently moves too far forwards and Thomas isn't in the photo, he assumes Diesel did it on purpose. So he doesn't tell him about the new photograph, things go a little pear shaped in Thomas' plan of not having Diesel in the photo.


**Author's note**: Here's another Thomas and Friends re-write =D

Rebecca belongs to me.

Today was a special day on the Island of Sodor, it was Knapford station's birthday and there was going to be a big celebration.

At Tidmouth sheds the engines were waiting for the photographer, they were going to have their photos taken so they can be put on a billboard. They were excited about that, Thomas especially "I've never been on a billboard before" he said "I can't wait"

"I'll stand out the most, my red paint is the shiniest on Sodor" James said with a smirk.

"Your paint was especially shiny when it was pink" Rebecca said with a smirk.

"Burn!" Percy called as the others laughed.

The red engine glared at them as his face went as red as his paint.

Then the photographer and the fat controller arrived "Hello everyone" the photographer greeted "are you ready to have your photos taken?"

The other engines whistled and smiled.

"Good" the photographer replied with a smile and he got his camera ready, but he was having trouble getting all the engines in the photo "I can't get all of you in, so James can you move back a bit?"

James smiled and puffed back a bit.

"And Percy can you move forwards a little?" the photographer asked.

Percy smiled and moved forwards a little.

"That's good, Diesel can you move forwards a little too?" the photographer asked.

Diesel smiled and moved forwards.

"Perfect" the photographer said with a smile and got his camera ready "smile"

The engines smiled and the photographer took the photo "Perfect" he said.

"Thomas, I want you to collect the billboard once it's done" the fat controller said with a smile.

Thomas smiled "Yes sir" he replied, though he had no idea Diesel had moved too far.

Later that day Thomas puffed into Marron station where the billboard was waiting to be collected, he was excited until he saw the photo. He wasn't in it, Diesel was in front of him "Diesel's in front of me, I'm not in the photo" he said.

His driver coupled him up to the billboard "Let's go Thomas" he said and got back into the cab.

The blue tank engine sighed and puffed out of Marron station.

As he puffed along the main line he kept thinking that Diesel had moved in front of him on purpose "He didn't want me to be in the photo, so he moved in front of me on purpose" he grumbled, he was so busy grumbling that he didn't see the cow that had strayed onto the line. But his driver did and had no choice but to divert Thomas into a siding.

The blue tank engine realised he was heading straight for the buffers, ahead of them was a lake "Oh no!" he exclaimed and applied his brakes, but he was still going too fast to stop safely.

The flatbed went into the buffers and the billboard broke free from the ropes that had it secured, it went right into the lake.

"Oh no! The billboard is ruined" Thomas exclaimed "now what am I going to do?" he thought a moment "I'll go and get the photographer, maybe he can take another picture" so he was uncoupled from the flatbed and he puffed back to Marron station.

When he arrived the photographer was there waiting for a train to take him back home, he saw Thomas "Hello Thomas" he greeted "what can I do for you?"

"Well...the billboard's in the lake, a cow had strayed on the line and I had to divert to a siding" the blue tank engine explained "I went into the buffers and the billboard broke free, will you take another photo?"

The photographer nodded "Sure Thomas, tell the engines to meet me at the sheds" he replied.

The blue tank engine was about to leave when he saw Diesel arriving with a goods train, he was worried "I'd better not tell Diesel about the new photo, he might go in front of me again" he whispered, so he puffed out not telling Diesel about the new photo.

An hour later all the engines were gathered at the shed, Gordon was the last to arrive as he parked between Edward and James "I need to collect Mr Giggles from the airport" he said "and I can't be late"

"And I need to collect the brass band from Brendon docks" Emily added.

"And I need to collect the decorations from Welsworth station, so be quick" James said impatiently.

"Ok ok, I'll go and get him" Thomas assured and puffed away.

Five minutes later he arrived at Marron station where the photographer was waiting, he smiled and got into Thomas' cab.

The blue tank engine was about to leave when he saw Diesel again "Oh no, Diesel will see the photographer" he whispered, so he whished lots of steam covering himself.

Diesel rolled past not seeing Thomas because of all the steam.

When he had gone the blue tank engine breathed a sigh of relief.

But the photographer had a problem "The steam has made my camera wet" he said "I won't be able to take your photos for another hour so it can dry, tell the engines to come back in an hour"

Thomas knew the engines were going to be annoyed, when the photographer had gotten out his cab he puffed back to Tidmouth sheds.

Five minutes later he arrived at the sheds where the other engines were waiting.

"Thomas where's the photographer?" Henry asked.

"Um..he's got a problem with his camera, you need to come back later" Thomas replied sheepishly.

The engines were annoyed "Thomas we have important jobs to do" Gordon said "we can't keep coming back"

"I know I know, just come back in an hour" the blue tank engine assured.

The engines grumbled but puffed out of the sheds, just as Diesel came past. He didn't see them so he was still oblivious to the new photograph.

An hour later Thomas went to gather the engines again, he found Gordon at the coaling plant "Hello Gordon, we're going to have our photos taken now" he said.

"This better be the last time Thomas, I need to collect Mr Giggles" the big blue engine replied.

"It will" the blue tank engine assured and puffed away to tell the other engines.

"This better be the last time" Rebecca said "we can't be late"

"I agree Rebecca" Gordon replied "let's get to the sheds" when his tender was full he set off for the sheds.

Half an hour later the engines were gathered at the sheds again "This better be the last time Thomas!" James said impatiently "unlike you, we have important jobs to do"

"Ok ok, I'll go and get him" Thomas assured quickly and puffed away from the sheds.

Five minutes later he arrived at Marron station where the photographer was.

"Let's get going" Thomas said, then he saw Diesel again. He was heading towards Tidmouth sheds where the other engines were "uh oh, he'll see the others" he looked at the photographer "can I come back later?"

The photographer nodded "Ok Thomas" he replied.

The blue tank engine smiled a little and puffed back to the sheds.

To say the other engines were annoyed would be an understatement, they were _not_ happy "Thomas you told me this was going to be the last time" Gordon said clearly annoyed.

"We have important jobs to do, we're not yoyos!" James added.

"I know I know, but I promise that when you come back later it'll be the last time" Thomas assured.

The other engines whished angrily before puffing out of the sheds "I'm going to do my job" Gordon said "I'll risk not being in the photograph"

Rebecca nodded in agreement "Yeah, we need to pick up Mr Giggles and that's more important" she replied.

"Indeed" the big blue engine replied and went to the depot to get his special coach.

When Thomas gathered the engines again they were waiting for Gordon and Rebecca.

"Where are Gordon and Rebecca?" the photographer asked.

"Knowing them they must have gone to do their job, like _we're_ supposed to be doing right now!" James snapped glaring at Thomas.

A couple of minutes later Gordon reversed into his spot at the sheds "Sorry I'm late" he said "we had a _job_ to do"

"No worries, now all of you get into position" the photographer replied with a smile.

The engines all got into position, Thomas was happy that Diesel wasn't around. But his luck ran out when Diesel came into the yard with a flatbed of decorations and a coach with the brass band inside, he was surprised to see all the engines and came to a stop "No one told me there was going to be another photograph" he said.

The photographer frowned "But I told Thomas to tell everyone" he replied.

The engines looked at Thomas "So we've had to come back multiple times...to avoid being seen by Diesel?" Henry asked.

Before the blue tank engine could answer the fat controller arrived, he was cross "James and Emily, neither of you did your jobs" he said sternly "so Diesel had to do your jobs as well as his own"

"It wasn't our fault sir, it was Thomas'" James replied "he mucked up the billboard by throwing it in the lake"

"I didn't throw it in the lake, I had to divert onto a siding because of a cow" Thomas argued "I bumped into the buffers and it broke free, so then I told the photographer and he agreed to do a new photo"

"So why have you been making us come back so many times?" Emily asked.

"I didn't want Diesel to know about the new photograph, in the last one he moved in front of me on purpose" the blue tank engine replied.

"I did not! The photographer told me to move" Diesel replied.

"I did, but you must have moved too far without realising it" the photographer said with a smile.

Thomas felt silly "I'm sorry Diesel, I really thought you moved in front of me on purpose" he said quietly.

Diesel smiled slightly.

The blue tank engine looked at the other engines "And I'm sorry for getting all of you in trouble" he added "can you forgive me?"

The other engines smiled "We forgive you Thomas" Edward replied.

Thomas smiled.

"Let's have a photo of all of you" the photographer said with a smile.

The engines got into position and the photographer took the new photo.

"Diesel, can you collect the billboard?" Thomas asked "I have two jobs to do"

Diesel smiled "Sure Thomas" he replied.

The blue tank engine smiled and they puffed out of the sheds.

That evening the party began, there were decorations, a brass band and Mr Giggles entertaining the children.

"Next time, I won't jump to the wrong conclusion" Thomas said with a smile "it just causes a lot of hassle"

The other engines agreed whole-heartedly.

**The End**


End file.
